Colours of the Rainbow
by Wohitzi
Summary: He is red, she is blue. They are fire and water, moon and sun, peace and war. They are opposites, and they attract.
1. Red: Dragon Tattoo

"Aang, do you know anything about giving people tattoos?"

The airbender in question looked over at Zuko curiously. He nodded, saying, "Yeah, why?"

Zuko looked a bit nervous, clenching a folded piece of paper in his hands. "Well, I was kinda thinking of getting one... "

"Really? What for?"

He shrugged and muttered something unintelligible. Deciding the reason must be personal, Aang didn't pry for answers and agreed to give the former prince a tattoo.

xXxXxX

Before the Air Nomads had been killed, the traditional arrow markings had been given to master airbenders in the most spiritual part of the temple. Now, the room was ancient and abandoned, with dust covering everything within it.

"What colours do you have?" Zuko asked, watching Aang brush some dust off the required equipment.

"The monks sometimes marked chakra points with their corresponding colours, so there are a few different ones. Why? What tattoo are you getting?"

At the question, Zuko knelt in the center of the room, spreading his sheet of paper out. Aang examined the picture and, as Zuko explained what colours he wanted, smiled in sad realization. He understood the purpose of the image.

Later the pair sat together, Aang carefully tracing the lines of the picture; Zuko wincing as the needle pricked his skin, allowing the ink to seep in. It would be permanent, like his scar, but that was what he wanted. This mark had a meaning he never wanted to lose.

xXxXxXx

"Hey, what's that on your arm?" Katara asked after catching a glimpse of the marking that peeked out from beneath his sleeve.

Zuko found himself blushing slightly as he pulled back the fabric, his hands suddenly sticky with sweat. He prayed she would like it.

Katara's eyes widened slightly as she studied the image on Zuko's skin. She placed her finger against it; he winced, his flesh still tender and sore. Gently, she traced the powerful red dragon, marvelled by how real it looked. It was coiled around a delicate blue flower. Most would think the fearsome beast aimed to harm the flower, but she knew it was acting as a shield, protecting the fragile beauty from the evils of the world.

Katara smiled up at Zuko's nervous face. "I love it."

He sighed in relief, wrapping his arms around her, like the dragon around the flower.

* * *

Author's Notes: _So, I worte this for a community on LJ called 7rainbowprompts. It's number 6 from the red set. I'll be posting the rest of my entries to that community here, so be on the look out for updates. _

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Avatar' or any of its characters.**


	2. Blue: Pirates

The waterbending form was beginning to get on her nerves.

Katara had stolen a scroll, intending to use it to help Aang. Instead, she found herself selfishly trying to master one of its forms, the frustration of doing so causing her to yell at Aang. She _never_ yelled at him.

It also caused her to sneak away from camp late at night to practice by the river, where she struggled to make the water do as she commanded.

She growled in frustration, letting the water splash back into the stream. Who would've thought learning to use a waterwhip would be so _hard_?

A sound caught her attention. Moving to the bushes, she peeked through the leaves, only to see her enemy on the other side. Gasping, she turned to run. A man grabbed her, and she fought against him, hitting him with a blast of water. She tried to run again, only to be stopped by the source of her panic.

Zuko gripped her wrists firmly, glaring coldly at her. He looked angry and dangerous and alluring.

"It's the fear," she thought. "The fear is making him attractive."

Then he uttered a phrase she would never forget:

"I'll save you from the pirates."

XxXxXx

The waterbending girl was beginning to get on his nerves.

Every time Zuko found the Avatar, _she_ was there, somehow managing to thwart all his capture attempts. What frustrated him was that, as far as he could tell, she didn't even know how to bend properly.

But, after constantly getting in his way, she would finally be useful to him. Subconsciously, his grip on her necklace tightened.

A growl and a splash met his ears. She was there. He had found her.

What happened next seemed to move in a blur. One minute he was on a boat, sailing down the river, the next he was holding the waterbender by her wrists.

She gasped slightly, eyes wide and blue. She looked helpless and scared and desirable.

"It's the anger," he thought. "The anger is making her attractive."

Then he uttered a phrase that would forever change the way he thought of pirates:

"I'll save you from the pirates."

* * *

Author's Notes: _My somewhat exagerated interpretation of 'The Waterbending Scroll'. Fun to write, but not to be looked at as realistic. _

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Avatar' or any of its characters. If I did, every episode would be like 'The Waterbending Scroll'.**


	3. Red: Sweat out the Fever

Not far from the Western Air Temple, Katara and Zuko walked side-by-side on their way to the market. Though neither bender was particularly fond of the other, their team had agreed it would be best to travel in pairs and take turns gathering supplies.

"I still don't see why I had to get stuck with you," Katara grumbled.

Zuko barely heard her comment, or any of the similar complaints she had been making during their short trip. He was too focused on the knot of dread slowly forming in his stomach.

He felt as though they were surrounded, almost claustrophobic, but it wasn't because of how densely packed the forest was. Something told him they weren't alone, that they were being watched.

Deciding to trust his gut, he said, "Katara, I think we should-"

An arrow shut out from the shadows surrounding them. It would have hit him, had Katara not cut it in half with her waterbending. More arrows followed after, seemingly from everywhere. Zuko tried to determine where their attackers were, but couldn't find a moment to focus, lest he get hit.

So rather than finding the source of the problem, he did the next best thing.

"Run!"

Grabbing Katara's wrist, he dragged her with him as he tore through the forest, ignoring her cries of "Hey! I can run by myself!"

An arrow zipped passed his ear, piercing a tree a few feet away. Two more narrowly missed Katara.

However, their luck didn't last forever.

xXxXxXx

Katara felt heavy and suffocatingly warm. She was thirsty and hungry and felt like throwing up, her head pounding with heat and dizziness.

"What happened?" she wondered. "Where am I?"

With a groan, she tried to open her eyes, only to be assaulted by light and colour and blurred shapes. Squeezing her eyes shut, she groaned again.

Something cool rested on her forehead (someone's hand?), and a soothing voice said, "Don't strain yourself."

She knew that voice. It was... It was...

"Zuko?" she asked, her voice sounding scratchy. Swallowing, she spoke again, though her voice was the same. "What happened?"

"We were ambushed by archers," he explained, his cool hand leaving Katara's forehead, much to her disappointment. "They must have recognized me. One of them hit you with a poisoned arrow."

"_Poisoned?" _she cried in disbelief, only to whimper pitifully from the pain of her throbbing head.

"Yes, but don't worry, it's not serious. You'll just be sick for a little while."

Katara opened her eyes again, taking in her blurry but distinguishable surroundings. Zuko, lots of tress, and a few slivers of clear blue sky peeking between the leaves.

"But... why didn't you take me back to the temple?" she croaked.

"I had a hard time getting away from the archers, and I worried we might run into them on the way back," he said. In her clouded vision, Katara could see him shift uncomfortably.

The part of her that still harboured a grudge against him (which was pretty much all of her) suspected he was lying. He was, after all, the prince of the Fire Nation, and from a family that often did horrible, unimaginable things. Why should he be any different?

But she was sore and tired, and her groggy mind wanted nothing more than to do as hi gentle voice suggested.

"You should sleep. It'll help you heal."

xXxXxXx

Zuko watched worriedly as Katara drifted off to sleep. She was pale, feverish, and cloudy-eyed. Her voice sounded scratchy and strained, and her breathing was laboured.

The moment he had escaped from their attackers, he had rushed to the nearest villager and found a healer, who had explained the waterbender's condition. All the while, people had eyed him suspiciously, as though trying to figure out where they had seen him before. He got that a lot, being from a royal and well known family but it still made him nervous.

He prayed the healer was right, that Katara would be fine. All he could do was keep her safe and give her time to sweat out the fever.

Which made him feel frustrated and helpless. He wanted to help her, but there was nothing he could do. There was no medicine or antidote he could give her; she had to fight off the poison herself.

This wasn't to say that he cared about her No; he thought she was annoying and ridiculously resentful, with a short temper and stubbornness that rivalled his own. However, she was his teammate, and he didn't want to lose any of his comrades.

So he did what he could, tending to her the way his mother had when he had gotten sick, wondering how long it had been since hers had done the same.

XxXxXx

Katara had lost all sense of time.

She had no idea how long she was asleep or awake. Sometimes seconds felt like hours when she was conscious, and hours felt like minutes when she was asleep.

Zuko was always at her side, giving her water or food whatever else she needed. She wasn't sure if it was the fever talking, but he seemed sincerely concerned, almost motherly – which was odd, since he was a guy and should replicate the behaviour of a father or brother.

Nonetheless, his presence was a constant thing, unlike the time or the severity of her illness. Sometimes, she could barely think through the fog of delirium that was her mind. At other times, she could sit up by herself and was hardly dizzy.

Like now.

Katara rubbed her eyes tiredly, having just woken up. She felt a lot better, almost as though nothing had been wrong in the first place.

"You look like you're feeling well."

"I am," she said, smiling at Zuko. "Thanks to you."

Then she leaned over to hug him, wrapping her arms loosely around his neck. They sat in (stunned? Awkward? Comfortable?) silence for a few moments before Zuko hesitantly returned the embrace.

Katara felt her heart flutter slightly, but decided it was just a side-effect of the poison.

* * *

Author's Notes: _Holy Crap! This turned out way longer than I expected. o.o It's probably the longest drabble I've ever written, actually. _

_So, yeah. I hope you guys enjoy it. _

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Avatar' or any of its characters.**


	4. Blue: Stubble

Zuko sat under the warm noon sun, doing his daily meditation. Katara stood nearby, watching him quietly. After a few moments, she cautiously walked toward him and sat down, careful not to break his concentration.

Up close, she could make out more details of his features. As she examined his face, she noticed there was something different about his appearance. Squinting slightly, she tried to figure out what had changed.

Then her frown of concentration transformed into an amused grin, and she began to giggle uncontrollably.

Zuko opened his eyes and scowled at her. "What's so funny?"

"You have stubble!" Katara teased.

"So what? Your brother has it, too."

"Yeah, but he doesn't have _sideburn_ stubble!"

More giggling, more scowling, and a bit of blushing followed her statement.

"It's genetic, what do you expect me to do?" he asked defensively.

"Shave."

Reaching her hand toward his face, Katara brushed her fingers over the area where his stubble had appeared. The short, new hair felt rough and prickly against her skin. Slowly, her giggles subsided, and her amused grin grew into an affectionate smile.

"On second thought," she said, "I don't mind stubble."

* * *

Author's Notes: _I've always wondered why Zuko has yet to grow facial hair, as well as why he lacks the sideburns everyone else in the Fire Nation seems to have. This doesn't explain either one, but it does poke fun at them. :D_

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Avatar' or any of its characters.**


	5. Red: Past Mistakes

"This is all your fault!" Katara yelled, fists clenched as she paced around the cave she and Zuko had become trapped in. 

"_My_ fault?"

"Yeah," she said, pausing to glare at him. "If you hadn't tackled me into here-"

"I was protecting you from Mai's knives!"

"-then Azula wouldn't have trapped us in here by causing a cave-in!" Katara concluded loudly, shouting over Zuko's statement. 

While their situation might have sounded easy to get out of, it was not. Toph, Haru, and Aang hadn't come with them on their trip to the market, and Sokka (who had come with them) was surely sitting in prison at that very moment, being used as bait for the rest of their friends. 

Zuko glared at Katara from where he sat on the ground. "Maybe if you would've paid more attention to what was going on, I wouldn't have needed to save you."

Oh, so now it was _her_ fault?

Katara scoffed. "Well, _maybe_ if you hadn't told the entire palace you were joining our team, your freak sister wouldn't have tried to track us."

"Well at least I didn't threaten to kill someone who was offering me help!"

Memories of the time Iroh had been critically injured at Azula's hand flashed through her mind, followed soon by the events in Ba Sing Se. Katara suddenly recalled what Zuko had said about his mother. She didn't know the details, but it was enough to get a glimpse of what had happened, a small peek at his childhood suffering. 

Now, in her anger, she was using that suffering against him. 

"At least I'm not so horrible that my mother abandoned me!"

Zuko shot to his feet, seething with rage and breathing smoke. Literally. 

"You take that back!" he yelled, flames sparking from his clenched fists. 

"No! You _never_ took back anything you did! You _never_ fixed the past! You just kept being a jack-ass, then expected everyone to accept you when you realized what an idiot you had been!"

She was babbling, she knew, but she couldn't stop. These thoughts and emotions had been building up inside since the day she met the prince, and it felt good to finally let everything out. 

"Well let me tell you something!" she continued, only half registering Zuko's expression of anger and bewilderment. "Life doesn't work that way! Things aren't handed to you on a silver platter, and trust doesn't fall out of the sky! You have to _earn_ it!"

Silence followed her rant, Zuko staring as she panted, breathless from yelling. 

"This... isn't about getting trapped, is it?"He asked hesitantly, clearly afraid of enraging her again. 

"You hurtus, Zuko," Katara said softly. By 'us', she meant 'me'. "How can you expect us to trust you after everything you've done? You... You harassed us and tried to capture Aang and made our lives _miserable_."

"I'm sorry," he took a step forward, voice barely above a whisper. "What I did was wrong, I know that now. And I know it doesn't change anything, but I'm really, really sorry. I was an idiot and a jerk."

With the adrenaline of anger having worn off, Katara found herself exposed to an array of thoughts. Was he telling the truth? Had he really changed? Was it _possible_ for someone like him to change? What if he tried to hurt her? What if he tried to hurt her friends?

Confusion and fear over-whelmed the forefront of her mind, but underneath, another emotion lurked. A completely inexplicable feeling of sadness nagged at her, making it even harder to sort out her thoughts. 

Zuko was in front of her now, saying, "I know all that and I'm honestly trying to do better this time. But I can't fix the past if you don't give me a chance. Please, just... try and give me a little trust."

It was then that Katara realized why she was sad; somehow, this situation reminded her of when Jet had tried to earn a second chance. She had been so closed to him, clinging to her grudge for as long as she could, letting go only when it was too late.

What if this ended the same way?

Looking away from Zuko's steady, pleading gaze, she bit her lip and thought for a moment, struggling against the many 'what if's of the situation. 

Finally, she hesitantly said, "I guess I could try..."

Zuko smiled broadly. He stepped forward, then paused, seeming to ask permission. With a small smile and a nod, Katara allowed him to hug her. 

Then the earth shook and the wall behind them burst open loudly, sending dust and debris everywhere. 

There stood Toph and Aang, the former smirking as she said, "See? I told you they were love birds."

* * *

Author's Notes: _Err, sorry for Katara's slight OOC-ness. My excuse is she doesn't think properly while enraged. _

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Avatar' or any of its characters.**


	6. Blue: Welcome Home

Katara stood in one of the Fire Nation palace's many corridors, feeling very out of the place. Candle filled chandeliers hung from the ceiling high above her head, beautiful tapestries decorated the walls, and soft red carpet covered the hard stone floor. 

It was one of the few places in the entire palace that had escaped the damages of the invasion. Unlike her. She had endured a rather intense battle, earning scorches on the blue fabric of her clothes and burns on her skin. But she could do healing and repairs late. For the moment, she just wanted to enjoy the feeling of security an unharmed corridor brought. 

At least, that's what Katara had intended on doing. Instead, she found herself feeling uncomfortable and unwelcome, the apparent royalty of the room seeming to shun her. 

"Katara?"

A smile slowly spread across her lips as she turned to face the speaker. A few feet away stood Zuko, who was just as beaten and battered as her. He too had suffered through the invasion and its numerous battles, enjoying the victory just as much as everyone else. 

"Are you okay?" he asked, moving closer. "You kinda disappeared. Everyone's looking for you."

"I'm fine. I just wanted to look around."

"Alright, but don't be afraid to tell me if something's wrong." Zuko said. Then, he pulled her into a warm embrace, softly adding, "You had me worried for a minute, there."

Katara allowed herself to sink into the hug, wrapping her arms around him and sighing contentedly against his neck. She no longer felt out of place – that was where she belonged. It was safe, familiar, and somehow _right_.

For a moment, she wasn't in an elaborately decorated corridor in a foreign nation. For a moment, she was home. 

* * *

Author's Notes: _Not much to say about this one. I kinda like the way it turned out, but I'm not jumping for joy..._

**Dislcaimer: I do not own 'Avatar' or any of its characters.**


	7. Red: Fool For Love

Toph 'watched' as Zuko carefully wrapped gauze around his hands, where he had recently sustained burns protecting Katara from Azula's lightning. The whole ordeal had been rather amazing, something even Toph was awed and panicked to see - the simple thought of someone being able to redirect lightning was incredible. Though, the same couldn't be said about the person who had been dumb enough to try such a thing.

"Love makes people do crazy things."

Zuko looked over at her, surprised by the somewhat random statement. "What are you talking about?"

"You," Toph said simply.

He wrinkled his forehead. "I don't see how what you said has anything to do with me."

"Oh, it does," she assured him.

"How?"

"When you protected Katara, you did it out of love."

A grin spread across her face at Zuko's reaction. With a pounding heart, he attempted to sputter a response.

"I-I do _not_ love the waterbender! I would never have any interest in dating someone like her!"

"Who said anything about dating? I just meant that you care about her. Though, the fact that you were so quick to deny having feelings for her makes me wonder..."

Growling in annoyance, he refocused his attention on his injured hand.

"Hey, why don't you just get Katara to heal that?" Toph asked.

He snorted. "Yeah, like she'd be interested in doing besides trying to kill me."

"Wounds are deeper when they're caused by someone you care about."

Once again, Zuko stared at her in bewilderment. "_What_?"

"When someone you care about betrays you, it tends to hurt more than if it were done by someone you hate."

"Are you trying to imply that Katara _likes_ me?" Zuko asked incredulously.

Toph shrugged. "I don't see any other reason why she'd hang onto a grudge for this long."

She felt his glare as he said, "Yeah, right. Nice try, but I'm not falling for that."

Despite the doubt he expressed on the outside, she knew Zuko felt a glimmer of hope.

* * *

Author's Notes: _So, I'm not too sure about this drabble... I kinda like it, but I think I may have made Toph a bit too wise and all-knowing, and I got very side-tracked from the prompt. -.- Oh well._

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Avatar' or any of its characters.**


	8. Red: Sensual

Katara rubbed her shoulders. They were sore; most likely due to a mix of stress and physical exertion. Probably more of the former, as she hadn't done any particularly strenuous activities recently, but had definitely dealt with more than she should.

The failed invasion attempt was the cause of most of her stress. She worried for the safety of her father and the other warriors, wondered how long it would take the Fire Nation to track them down, and questioned whether a second invasion would be possible with so little time to prepare. Add on to that the day-to-day worries of a teenage girl and a mother-figure, and it was all too much to handle.

Katara rested her elbows on the table in front of her, placing her head in her hands and taking a few deep, calming breathes.

"Something wrong?"

She looked toward the speaker, wincing slightly at the pain the quick movement caused in her neck.

Zuko, who had been standing in the doorway, walked towards her with a concerned expression. He repeated his question.

"No, I'm fine. Just... _stressed_," she shot him a glare, hoping he would catch the hint and leave.

He didn't.

Instead, he moved behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders. Intense heat suddenly surged through her. Instinctively, she tried to pull away, but his grip was firm and held her in place.

"Relax," Zuko said. "I'm not trying to hurt you."

Then he gently began to move his fingers, kneading her sore shoulders. The heat soothed and loosened her tense muscles, earning a sigh of pleasure from Katara. Who would've guessed Zuko knew how to massage?

His hands moved down her back, his smouldering fingers rubbing circles into her skin. The waterbender allowed herself to go limp, her head forward and letting a small moan of contentment escape her.

Zuko continued the process, even when her mind and body had become completely relaxed. The pair was quiet, aside from the occasional sounds of enjoyment Katara made. Finally, he broke the comfortable silence by murmuring, "Feel better now?"

She nodded and, completely forgetting the grudge she had vowed to keep, asked, "How do you want me to repay you?"

He smiled. "Just try trusting me and I'll give you all the massages you want."

And so a deal was made.

* * *

Author's Notes: _Uhh, yeah. This was very awkward to write. x.x I know nothing about massages or anything of the sort, so apologize for any inaccuracies. I was simply basing this on the fact that heat relaxes muscles. _

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Avatar' or any of its characters.**


	9. Blue: Once in a Blue Moon

Slowly, surely, the moon faded into darkness, no longer shedding light on the Earth. Katara watched with a mix of fear and anger, feeling her power disappear with it.

A lunar eclipse was a waterbender's worst nightmare.

Without the moon, they were weak and vulnerable, completely unable to defend themselves. The tides were no longer under their command, the water refusing to obey them.

Katara continued to glare at the sky, cursing Yue for abandoning her and knowing Sokka would hate her for it. In all honesty, she didn't really have a reason to be angry or fearful – she and the others were still in the Air Temple, still safe from the Fire Nation and its loyal fighters.

But there was so many 'what if's and worries that she couldn't afford to lose her bending at any moment, for any amount of time. Anything could happen, and she needed to be prepared.

"Katara?"

The voice was one she recognized well. Its owner wasn't a threat – at least, not in the eyes of her friends. She still didn't trust him.

Keeping her back to him, she said, "What do you want, Zuko?"

She heard him take a few steps closer as he hesitantly replies, "I was... kind of worried. You've been out here for a while."

She said nothing, crossing her arms and shifting her weight.

"So, um... Pretty interesting that we've gotten two eclipses in a row, huh?"

Katara turned to face him, gaze fierce. "Don't bother trying to intimidate me! I know there's an eclipse, and I know it makes me weak, but I won't let you frighten me!"

"I wasn't trying to scare you," Zuko said, looking sincerely confused. Then, realization dawned and his eyes softened as he asked, "_Are_ you afraid?"

"No! I just said I'd never let you scare me!"

"I don't mean me. I mean the eclipse, and everything that's happening."

"No," she said, though much less convincingly. She couldn't be scared – everyone needed her to be strong.

He took a few steps closer, and she took an equal amount back, hugging herself protectively.

"I used to think I had to tough all the time," Zuko said, continuing forward, "but lately I've learned that it's okay to break down every now and then. It's human nature to be afraid."

Katara bit her lip, struggling to maintain composure. A sore lump was growing in her throat, making it hard to breathe, and her eyes stung with unshed tears. Suddenly, her back was against a wall, and Zuko was still moving closer. Instinctively, she turned away from him, trying to hide her weakness.

"Strength isn't having no emotion; it's not letting your emotions control you. Bravery isn't never being afraid; it's persevering despite your fears."

The words were something the firebender's uncle had often told him, though Katara didn't know this. She only knew that Zuko was too close and she couldn't do anything about it, that he was right and she couldn't deny it any longer.

A sob escaped her, and she soon found herself sobbing uncontrollably as Zuko gently embraced her, listening to her babble about all her worries and fears.

The moon was hidden from view, but its spirit watched the pair closely, smiling at the moment they shared.

* * *

Author's Notes: _So, in the KataraZuko comm on LJ, someone once suggested writing a fic involving Zutara and a lunar eclipse. I thought I'd give it a try, and this is the result. __Hope you guys enjoy it! _

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Avatar' or any of its characters.**


	10. Red: Strawberry

The hands on the clock moved slowly, its ticking a monotonous rhythm in the otherwise silent room. A girl and boy sat beside each other, both waiting to be called into the principal's office. The boy grew tired of ignoring the girl, who had been staring at him the entire time.

"It's a strawberry," he said, turning toward her.

"What?"

"A strawberry. You know; a birthmark?" he gestured the red mark marring his eye.

"O-oh, sorry," she said. "I didn't mean to stare. It's just so... different."

"I know."

Then he turned away again, crossing his arms and staring at the wall. A moment later, the girl tapped his arm.

"Wha-? Ah!" he quickly averted his gaze.

She rolled her eyes. "Relax. I'm not trying to flash you. I just want you to see my birthmark."

Cautiously, he glanced at the girl's exposed stomach and, once satisfied that nothing inappropriate was showing, began to examine the mark there. It was a small, teardrop shaped marking that surrounded her belly-button, slightly darker than the rest of her skin. Looking at it made him think of rain and ice and healing, though he wasn't sure why.

"My mom had the same mark on her chest, right over her heart," she said, smiling.

The boy looked from her stomach to her face. "... Had?"

Letting her shirt fall back down and cover the mark, she stared at her hands, which now rested on her lap. "My mom died when I was really young."

His gaze saddened as he said, "I can relate."

Her blue eyes met his golden ones. "You too, huh?"

He nodded.

They fell into silence for a few moments, both remembering the loss of something that could never be replaced. The atmosphere had grown sombre, and the boy searched for a new subject to discuss.

"So, what did you get in trouble for?"

A small grin formed on her lips. "Punching a guy. He tried to take my mother's necklace. What about you?"

"Punching a guy," he said, wearing a similar expression. "People tend to make fun of my mark." Then, fixing his gaze on her neck, he asked, "Where is the necklace?"

"It fell down a manhole," she said sadly. "But... I guess that's okay, because no one can take away my mark, right? I can always remember her by that."

He smiled. "Yeah, you can."

The door to the office opened, and a petite woman poked her head out. "Zuko, the principal is ready to see you now."

Zuko, the boy, stood up. He took a few steps toward the office, stopped, turned, and asked, "What's your name, anyway?"

"Katara."

His smile broadened. "Nice meeting you, Katara."

"Likewise, strawberry-boy," she said playfully.

Zuko laughed, then turned back toward the office, disappearing through the door.

* * *

Author's Notes: _Okay, yeah, the ending is totally lame, but I like how the rest of it turned out. It's a scene I've wanted to write for a while, actually. _

_So... Tell me what you think!_

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Avatar' or any of its characters.**


	11. Red: Dance Dance Revolution

They are dancing.

Katara and Aang twist and twirl in the center of the floor, surrounded by awestruck onlookers. It is a dance only they know, and soon nothing matters but each other and the music.

Katara spins, a wide smile on her face. When she faces her partner again, something is different. No, _everything_ is different.

No longer is she in a cave, but rather a large ballroom, with marble floors and a high, chandelier-covered ceiling. Everyone wears elegant robes and formal gowns, giving the event an air of importance that had not been present before.

Aang has changed, too. In fact, he isn't even there. Instead of seeing his ever-present smile and blue arrows when she turns back to him, Katara finds herself looking at the scarred face of prince Zuko. As if that isn't odd enough, he is _smiling_. At _her_.

Despite her confusion, she continues dancing. This time it's different, though – slower than it was with Aang. Katara doesn't recognize the dance, yet the steps come to her with ease and grace and a sense of familiarity that makes it seem as though she had known the routine her whole life.

Soon, she finds herself completely relaxed and comfortable. Her head rests on Zuko's shoulder, his strong arms are around her waist, and his warm breath tickles her ear. The whole situation seems perfect.

XxXxXx

For three nights in a row, Katara has this exact dream.

And every morning after, she remembers nothing, feeling only an unusual attachment to the ex-prince.

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Author's notes: _So, yeah, I've already done a fic like this, what with the whole 'symbolic dream' thing. Still, I like it. Besides, it was the only thing I managed to write for the prompt. xP_

_Anywho, tell me what you think!_

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Avatar' or any of its characters.**


	12. Red: Ambition

"If you could be anything in the world, what would you be?"

Katara looked over at Zuko, surprised by the question. The two sat on a sandy beach, the wind tousling their hair while the ocean tickled their toes. Staring back out at the horizon, where a brightly shining sun hung low in the sky, she took a moment to think about the question.

"I think... I'd wanna be a peacekeeper. "

He raised an eyebrow, glancing over at her. "Oh? And why's that?"

She shrugged. "I just like helping people work out problems and stop conflicts. That's been my favourite part about travelling with Aang. Well, aside from the friends I've made," She sent him a meaningful smile.

Blushing, he refocused his gaze on the water in front of them.

"What about you? What do you wanna do?" she asked.

Immediately, he said, "Be the Fire Lord."

"Why am I not surprised?"

"Because you know I'm a natural born leader."

She smirked, rolling her eyes. "Oh, of course."

A short, relaxed silence followed her comment, only the ocean and the seagull-crabs making a sound.

Hesitantly, Zuko said, "There is another thing I'd like to do, though..."

"What is it?" she asked, tilting her head slightly.

Taking a deep breath, he gathered his courage and willed himself not to back down. Quickly, before he lost his nerve, he leaned forward and pressed his lips to Katara's, earning a squeak of surprise from her. In a moment, however, she relaxed, snaking her arms around his neck and leaning into the kiss.

They separated slightly, both breathless and blushing and not quite satisfied.

Grinning, Katara said, "That's a pretty good ambition to have."

Zuko smiled and leaned forward to capture her lips once again.

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Author's Notes: _Pointless fluff, I know, but I couldn't resist. xD Plus, it was all that came to mind for the prompt. _

_I hope you enjoy it!_

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Avatar' or any of its characters.**


	13. Red: Courageous

Katara had never thought of Zuko as brave.

Quite the contrary, actually. She had always viewed him as a spineless coward who had his crew do everything for him, while he used menacing glares to keep up a facade of toughness. But she could see the fear in his eyes when he fought, the way he pathetically used insults and cruelty to hide his weakness.

So he could never be heroic. No, that would require selflessness and bravery and a heart of gold, none of which the prince possessed.

At least, that's what she had always thought.

Things changed unexpectedly at the air temple, when he swooped in to rescue them from Combustion Man. Even though it was technically his fault that they were being attacked, the action was still very courageous in her mind.

As she watched Zuko fend off their enemy, she felt her heart swell with admiration.

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AUthor's Notes: _I know, I know, probably not her thoughts during that scene, but, hey, isn't that what fanfiction is for? ;D_

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Avatar' or any of its characters.**


	14. Blue: Starry Night

Katara and Zuko lay on their backs, staring up at the cloudless night sky. The waterbender pointed up, her finger tracing a path of stars as she named a constellation. The ex-prince listened intently, trying to make out the shape she described among the stars. Every figure she pointed out was so foreign to him, having never sat out at night to stargaze.

Well, almost never.

Sometimes, when he was younger, his uncle would sit with him in the palace gardens, naming constellations and telling their stories of Fire Lords from long ago using the stars' paths to navigate the vast Earth. He had always loved his uncle's stories back then.

But now, he was with Katara, his friend (lover?), lying close to her, feeling her warmth and smiling widely, because, _finally, _everything felt normal.

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Author's Notes: _Nothing to say about this one. / I guess I like it, but there;s just nothing to comment on. _

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Avatar' or any of its characters.**


	15. Blue: Whispers in the Night

The moon glowed brightly in the sky, reflecting on the ocean and casting shadows across the beach. Zuko stood, back turned to the water as he stared at the vacation home he used to visit every summer. Katara stood beside him, silent.

"My family used to come here all the time," he whispered.

She nodded, listening quietly.

"Azula was pretty young then. It was one of the times she actually seemed... _human."_

A gentle wind gusted, blowing around sand and tousling the hair.

"I never thought she could actually die," he continued, surprising himself when tears welled in his eyes.

Katara's grasped his, squeezing it reassuringly. "Are you sure you wanna do this?"

He nodded. In his free hand was a small but intricately designed urn, decorated in regal brass dragons with fierce eyes. Carefully, he opened it and tipped it sideways, allowing the ashes to spill out. The wind carried Azula's remnants through the air, freeing her from emotion and thought and restraint.

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Author's Notes: _So, originally, this was going to be Zuko and Katara talking about the past and their mothers and stuff, but it ended up turning into an Azual death fic with slight Zutara. o.O Go figure. _

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Avatar' or any of its characters.**


	16. Blue: Blueberries

Katara and Zuko lay hidden in the bushes of a blueberry field, giggling playfully at the knowledge of their secret.

"You know Sokka would have a leopard-cow if he found us, right?" Katara whispered, breaking away from one of the firebender's kisses.

"Yeah," he murmured, "but he _won't_, so why worry?"

They resumed their previous activity, light-hearted giddiness causing the world to disappear. However, they couldn't ignore the loud sound of someone clearing their throat.

Standing behind them, arms crossed and eyebrows raised, was Sokka. He eyed the pair's less-than-innocent position.

"What'cha doin'?"

"Uh," Zuko stammered, sitting up. "Picking blueberries?"

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Author's Notes: _And then Sokka castrated him. :D _

_No I kid, I kid. Sokka would never do that, because he and Zuko are BFFs._

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Avatar' or any of its characters.**


	17. Blue: Overcompensation

Zuko stared at the ground, silent and uncharacteristically meek as Katara ranted at him for what she considered to be an incredibly stupid action. More specifically, his decision to break their allies from the invasion out jail.

"What on Earth made you do something so _stupid_? You could have led the Fire Nation straight to us! Did you even consider that! And what if you were killed? Where would Aang get a new teacher?" As she yelled, Katara flailed her arms around wildly, gesturing angrily. Finally, throwing her hands in the air, she cried, "What were you thinking?"

Once he was sure she had finished, Zuko quietly said, "I thought freeing the people you cared about might convince you that I'm on your side."

Sitting on a rock a few feet away, Toph snorted. Both teens glared at her, simultaneously snapping, "What?"

"Don't you think freeing a couple hundred warriors from prison is going a bit overboard?" she asked, smirking playfully. "I mean, most guys just give flowers to the girl they like."

Feeling his face grow warm, Zuko prepared to sputter in denial. However, Katara had already snorted and rolled her eyes in disbelief, walking away to go prepare dinner. So, instead of retorting, Zuko allowed his shoulders to sag and looked over at Toph.

"What flowers should I buy her?"

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Author's Notes: _Just so you know, I wrote this before watching TBR. _

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Avatar' or any of its characters.**


	18. Red: To Save a Soul

In a way, Katara's rejection had saved Aang. Actually, it had saved the entire world.

It sounded dramatic and over-the-top, but he sincerely believed it was true. Since the day they met her, he had been in love with her, praying she would return his feelings and doing whatever he could to impress her. This caused him to base many of his decisions on what was best for her and his chances of earning her affection.

"_I can't let go of Katara! I– I love her!"_

But he was the Avatar and, as he later realized, couldn't afford to make such selfish choices. He was responsible for the peace and balance of the entire world.

However, he did not discover this until the final invasion, when he went for a kiss (his second, he always reminded himself) and was quickly rejected.

"_I'm sorry. I just... I don't feel that way._"

Naturally, he had been heartbroken and angry and confused. What was wrong with him? Why didn't she like him? Did she already love someone else? How had this happened?

And yet, this disappointment had saved him – no, the world – because it gave him the push he needed to think of the _world's_ fate, not his own. It convinced him to let go of selfish desire and make a sacrifice for the future of all four nations.

So, when he watched Katara receive a new betrothal necklace and a gold crown in the shape of a flame, surrounded by red and blue, royalty and peasants, he was grateful.

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Authors' Notes: _So, this is basically why I think Aang needs to grow up and face his responsibilities. It's not just 'cause I like Zutara - it's 'cause he's jeapordizing the _enitre world_ by clinging to his selfish desires. _

_No, I don't know what happens in the finale. Don't give me Sozin's Comet spoilers._

**Disclaimer: I do now own 'Avatar' or any of its characters.**


	19. Blue: Wisdom

People always thought Iroh was wise. He didn't know why. He had made more mistakes in his lifetime than he could count on all his fingers and toes, and continued to do so. Maybe it was his age and way with rods. Maybe it was his experience and skill with tea. Whatever the reason, he was flattered and accepted the honour modestly.

Still, he never expected his nephew to come to him for advice.

Zuko had always ignored his suggestions in the past, so it was unusual that would seek them now, Nonetheless, Iroh listened patiently as the ex-prince explained his problem.

"See, there's this girl that I, uh, might kinda... like?" Redness rushed to his cheeks, but he continued. "I wanted to, you know, try telling her, but, uh, I... don't really know what to do."

The retired General smiled widely, already knowing the perfect answer. "Kiss her the first chance you get!"

He was only slightly surprised when, at dinner that evening, Zuko leaned forward to capture Katara's lips in his own when she knelt down to refill his bowl.

He was less surprised when the boy was water-whipped with scalding hot soup a second later.

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Authors' Notes: _Because Iroh gives the best advice in the world, Zuko's a dork, and Katara's still in denial. :D_

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Avatar' or any of its characters.**


	20. Blue: Sake of Love

"A _waterbender_? I'm sorry, my lord, but I think you've lost your mind."

Zuko's eyes narrowed into a glare. "I assure you, I'm perfectly sane."

The advisor fidgeted, seeming uncomfortable under the intense gaze. "Yes, well, I still believe you should rethink your decision. The war has just barely ended, and I don't think the public could support a Fire Lord who marries their enemy."

"I don't really care what the public thinks. This is my life and my marriage – I'll do what I want."

"That seems very unwise," a second advisor said. "As the ruler of this nation, everything you do affects its people. Really, you should consider what's best for _them_."

Zuko's fingers clenched the edge of his throne. He was sick of this argument. Every week it would repeat itself, with growing frequency and intensity as the day of Katara's visit drew nearer. He loved her and wanted to marry her. That's all there was to it, and no amount of nagging would change his mind.

However, that didn't make the discussion any less annoying.

"... and, really, why go against tradition?" the second man continued. "Marriages have always been arranged. I think it best if we stick with tradition and marry you off to the noble Lady Mai, like we originally planned."

Sighing, Zuko reached up to the crown in his hair. He pulled it free, getting to his feet and walking toward his startled advisors at the same time.

"Here," he said, thrusting the golden flame emblem toward the first speaker. "Let Mai's family rule. I'm done. If I can't marry Katara without you guys harassing me, then I don't want anything to do with being Fire Lord."

Then he strode away to his room, where he packed his belongings in preparation for a visit to the South Pole.

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Author's Notes: _Errr... So, when I wrote this, I was thinking of the prompt as 'For the sake of love'. So, instead of thinking of it as having something to with alcohol, I worte it as Zuko sacrifcing his crown for the sake of Katara. xD _

_Anywho, I've finally completed all the prompts for this, so this is the final chapter. :D I hope you guys enjoyed these drabbles! Thanks for all the reviews. _

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Avatar' or any of its characters.**


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